Anitra Workman was subjected to insubordination, belligerence and aggressiveness by maintenance man David Williamson leading her to feel unsafe in one-on-one situations with him and, after an incident involving a resident at Williamson Towers, she provided the resident with Housing & Urban Development’s contact information, according to a complaint filed in Mingo Circuit Court.
On Feb. 23, Workman had a meeting with Penny Powers, who works for Human Resources with the defendant, and Debbie Shackleford, her supervisor, and, at the meeting, Powers and Shackleford presented her with complaints against her, with no mention of the maker of the complaints or the dates of the complaints, according to the suit.
Workman claims Shackleford then told her that she needed to represent the company and that she should not have contacted HUD with a complaint that was made against the company.
After the meeting, Workman sent an e-mail to her supervisors giving her two-week notice and resignation, according to the suit.
Workman claims the following day, Shackleford and Williamson entered her office and she was fired and the Williamson City Police Department was called to escort her from the property.
The defendants terminated Workman’s employment in retaliation, which violated substantial public policy, according to the suit.
Workman claims she was also fired for being a whistleblower.
The defendants’ actions were willful, wanton and/or undertaken in direct disregard for the rights and sensibilities of the plaintiff, according to the suit.
Workman is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Steven S. Wolfe of Wolfe, White & Associates
Mingo Circuit Court case number: 17-C-70